Montmartre Museum, Renoir and Champagne

by Paige Donner

Wine and food pairings. A natural.

Wine and music pairings. Love the original inspiration of this since a few years back.

Wine and Renoir pairings?

This was the theme of a recent champagne tasting in Paris held at the picturesque Musée Montmartre's Jardins Renoir or Montmartre Museum's Renoir Gardens which overlook the Clos Montmartre in the shadow of the Sacré-Coeur.

A more idyllic location in Paris on a sunny early Autumn evening could not be imagined.

 

 

Musée Montmartre Jardins Renoir - photo by Paige Donner copyright 2014

 

Musée Montmartre Jardins Renoir - photo by Paige Donner copyright 2014

 

Musée Montmartre Jardins Renoir - photo by Paige Donner copyright 2014

 

Musée Montmartre Jardins Renoir - photo by Paige Donner copyright 2014

 

Musée Montmartre Jardins Renoir - photo by Paige Donner copyright 2014

 

Musée Montmartre Jardins Renoir - photo by Paige Donner copyright 2014

 

Musée Montmartre Jardins Renoir - photo by Paige Donner copyright 2014

 

Musée Montmartre Jardins Renoir - photo by Paige Donner copyright 2014

 

All photos copyright 2014 Paige Donner All Rights Reserved

And there was method to this artistic madness... A group of champagne houses from the Aube region, around the village of Essoyes, to be exact, banded together to show off their champagnes and display them with the particular Renoir painting they felt paired the best with their chosen cuvée.

The historical reference is that Renoir lived in Essoyes with his wife and children during the summer months starting in 1895. There is now a foundation established to restore this heritage house where Renoir kept an atelier on the ground floor, overlooking the garden. 

Today the village welcomes art enthusiasts and Renoir-lovers in its L'Espace des Renoir et l'Atelier du peintre. They have fondly named this area the Côté des Renoir.  The participating champagnes located in and around the Côté des Renoir are Champagne de Barfontarc, Champagne Jacques de France, Champagne Drappier, Champagne R. Dumont & Fils, Champagne Rémy Massin & Fils, Champagne Thierry Mercuzot, Champagne Richardot, Champagne Cristian Senez, Champagne Charles Collin and Champagne Chassenay d'Arce. 

More information, including photos of the paintings each house chose to represent their champagne, can be found at www.renoir-essoyes.com

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Cité du Champagne

by Paige Donner

Every year in September France celebrates their Heritage Days, called the Journées du Patrimoine. This year, I dared to take a preview peek at one of the few new fabulous developments in Champagne.

Champagne Collet, also known as COGEVI, was the first Co-operative established in Champagne. It remains a Top Ten champagne producer, globally.

The oldest co-operative in Champagne, known now as Champagne Collet, located in the little village of Aÿ , has just finished its thorough renovations and construction of elaborate exhibit facilities that depict both the history of champagne in the region and their development as a Top Ten champagne producer.

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This champagne house, Champagne Collet, was first established as a Co-operative in 1921. It is the oldest Co-operative in Champagne.

View of Champagne de Castellane Tower in Epernay as you cross the bridge into Epernay coming from Ay, Champagne, France. This photo was taken just during the end of harvest 2014, at the golden hour. 

 All photos by Paige Donner copyright 2014 

The significance of its location in Ay, France, which sits just between Reims and Epernay, both dominant champagne producing towns in the region, is that it is the historic setting for the champagne growers' revolt that took place early in the 20th c. here.

Part of the fabulous exhibit that their facility now houses shows historical photographs and even an old (restored) film that gives accounts of this event. The event served to shape the history of the region and even the wine itself, which has so famously become known around the globe as champagne.

The cellars are also not to be missed. Their vintage cuvées are displayed with elegant accompaniment of local celebrated photographer's, Michel Jolyot's, photos. 

Since it is not yet officially open to the public, I am posting only a few photos here for now. When it does open its doors for public entry, it is definitely not to be missed. And the little town of Aÿ is one of the most beautiful little villages in Champagne. It is also home to Bollinger and Deutz among several other top-class champagnes.

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London Wine Experience

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Bettane+Desseauve are going Anglophone. Well, probably not quite. BUT the esteemed French wine duo, heralded as two of France's top wine writers and critics, are holding their third London wine event. 

It's happening October 24 & 25th.

3rd edition of the festival of great wines at the Saatchi Gallery

The 3rd edition of the London Wine Experience organized by Bettane +Desseauve will take place on 24th and25th October, in the stunning setting ofthe Saatchi Gallery(Chelsea).

This two-day event, createdbywinecritics Michel Bettaneand Thierry Desseauve,well-knownfortheirannual wine guide and their international wine events (Paris Grand Tasting and Wine Experiences London, Hong Kongand Shanghai) will present Bettane+Desseauve's latest gems to professionals and wine lovers.

What's on

• > The wine selection

This year, more than 60 producers from such as Ruinart, Taittinger, Château Branaire-Ducru, Domaine des Perdrix, Domaine Laroche, Masciarelli, Roberto Voerzio – to name but a few – will present their wines to the public.

• > Masterclasses

More than 10 private tastings (master classes) will take place during the London Wine Experience, including a vertical tasting of wines from Château Latour (First growth, Pauillac), a Riedel masterclass to understand

how a glass can emphasize your perception an enjoyment of wine or a tasting dedicated to Ruinart rosé champagnes... Each of these masterclasses will be presented by a wine expert from Bettane+Desseauve and the owner or a representative of the winery.

> Other tastings and competitions

• Wine Premiere : Visitors will be able to discover a selection of innovative wines from all over the world

and vote for their favourite wine, to win a prize.

• Global Masters : An exclusive competition organized by the Drinks Business magazine to elect the best wines made in 2014. Wine lovers and professionals will taste and discover the best award winning wines from this year's competition.

A word from theexperts "The London Wine Experience is a festival of great wines in the same way as the great music or cinema festivals" - explains Thierry Desseauve – "and all of the producers exhibiting are selected on the quality of their production. With our team of wine experts, we taste tens of thousands of different wines every year from all over the world with the aim of presenting them to the public".

Michel Bettane adds:

"We are continuing to organize high level master classes devoted either to great winemakers or built around a theme encompassing exceptional wines. We also think that great wines deserve to be presented in an exceptional place: the Saatchi Gallery is a magical place, just like the Louvre where we have been organizing our French wine event for the past 8 years."

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